Reviewed by Andy Cooper

This is the second solo album from Claudette, a worship leader and solo vocalist from Solihull. One impressive thing is that most of the songs are written by the lady herself, and they're well constructed, meaningful and faith building. Another impressive thing is that all the instruments are played (and programmed) by just one guy, Chris Smith, who also produced, mixed and engineered the album. It works fine for the more poppy R&B numbers such as "When U Praise" and "Set Free" which seem to draw influence from the likes of Destiny's Child and Jennifer Lopez, but some of the more traditional gospel ballads plod along a bit too plainly: something a bit more exciting and rich in the arrangements is required to keep it interesting. Or make the fade-out a minute earlier! Claudette's vocal style could be described as simple and solid: strong and with feeling, but without too much embellishment. She doesn't seem to explore the extremities of her pitch range at all, but it means that every word is sung confidently and clearly. Her style reminds a bit of Deniece Williams but without all the crazy high note acrobatics. Overall, a home-grown talent worth investigating and supporting.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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